Squeeze-on insulation for reheating furnace water cooled skid systems

Abstract

A method for insulating a pipe, including skid pipes for walking beam and pusher type furnaces and the well known over-and-under skid pipe, including providing an appropriately contoured anchor band which can be applied around the pipe, the two ends secured together, each anchor band having a plurality of outwardly projecting prongs. A ceramic fiber blanket is applied around the exposed part of the pipe and then a pliable refractory material is applied around the blanket so that the prongs extend through the blanket and sufficiently into the pliable refractory material to support the refractory material around the pipe. Preferably a preformed insulator laminae comprising a ceramic fiber blanket, a pliable refractory material and a plastic-like film between and secured to them is applied to the prongs to reduce installation time. A suitable outer mold form is applied around the insulator laminae and a mold compression band is compressed around the mold form to compress the ceramic fiber blanket, generally contour the pliable refractory material to the shape of the pipe and secure the insulation around the pipe. Alternative methods include the use of a restraint band having an inner inflatable pressure tube and inwardly adjacent all segments, expanding the pressure tube to achieve substantially conforming insulation secured to the pipe.